Retreats

I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.
Leviticus 26:12


This coming Friday and Saturday is our annual Women’s Retreat at Christian Life Church. I’m jealous. I’ve been told I’m not allowed to attend. ;-) I know that our children, youth, men, etc. have similar plans for retreats later this year. I love retreats. I love to see people break out of their routine, stop, and gather together to meet with God.

I believe God honors our commitment and sacrifice to attend sacred gatherings like retreats. When Israel was separated from the world during their extended time in the wilderness, that is when they drew near to God. You are taking your valuable time and setting it apart for God and His work in your life. When we honor God in that way, He shows up big in our lives.

Here are the details for this weekend. If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to call or email Jeri Oleksy in the church office at 847-259-3090 or mail@christianlifechurch.org.

Women’s Retreat
Friday (2/8) @ 7PM
& Saturday (2/9) @ 9AM
Roberta Crane-Fitch Ministering

Women, don’t miss out on this special, set-apart time with God!

What's Your Story?

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
2 Samuel 23:20

What’s Your Story?

We are learning in these first weeks of 2008 about Benaiah and how he chased a lion. What a story! I bet every family member and friend of Beniah loved to hear him repeat the story of how he chased the lion on a snowy day.

What’s your story? The one you are proud to tell. The one everyone wants to hear again and again. What story are you writing with the life God gave you?

While we are called to be good stewards, sometimes we so carefully manage our lives that we never accomplish anything great for God. Our risk management is so precise that we end up like the servant who hid his master’s talents in Matthew 24. We arrive safely at death accomplishing little or nothing for God. Not a happy ending to the story of our life.

God has a story. He made man, so that we could live in relationship with Him. Man sinned and was separated from that relationship with God. God sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to take the punishment of our sin on the cross so that we could once again be in right relationship with God and spend eternity with Him. That’s God’s story. God wants everyone to hear His story. We are called to tell His story to a lost and dying world.

What are you risking to tell His story? What lions are you facing as you live for Him? Just like Benaiah, live life to the full, take risks, defy the odds, and tell the story! And when we survive, we have our story.

West Campus

Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given complete authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20

Last Sunday was our first “second sunday” of 2008. “second sunday” is our weekend service for a new church campus we are planting in the far western suburbs. Along with our one weekend a month service we also hold a weekly midweek get together on Thursdays at 7PM. One of our goals as a church for 2008 will be to have weekly weekend services at our west campus.

We have a great core of people already living out west. They are all working hard and sacrificing to make this effort a success. Even though most of our church family lives near our Mount Prospect campus and will never venture out west, I would like everyone to pray for the west campus. This area of Chicagoland is one of the fastest growing communities in the United States. There are many lives in this growing area that we will be able to touch with a strong church campus.

Pray for…

• Children’s Ministry – Many people moving out west are young families with small children. Children’s ministry will be a key ingredient for growth.
• Worship Team – Worship, like children’s ministry, is a core value of Christian Life. Pray that God provides the musicians and singers that will usher us into the presence of God.
• Teaching – The Word is what changes our lives. As in each of these prayer points, our present pastors and staff are working for both campuses. Pray that we develop a capable and anointed teaching team for both campuses.

Thank you for your prayers! You can visit our west campus web site at www.clcwest.org.

The Lion Chasers Manifesto

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
2 Samuel 23:20


We are learning in these first weeks of 2008 about Benaiah and how he chased a lion. We are examining our lives and asking ourselves what lion is God calling you to chase? Here s the Lion Chasers Manifesto from Mark Batterson’s book In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day.


The lion chasers manifesto.

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don’t let what’s wrong with you keep you from worshipping what’s right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don’t try to be who you’re not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion!

It’s 2008!

It’s 2008! I love a new year. It’s like God gives us a fresh start. The Bible says in Lamentations 3:22-23 that God’s mercies are new every morning. Every day is a new day with God and every year is a new year with Him. Let’s make 2008 the best year ever!

Here are some of my favorite promises from God’s Word. Read them over and over. They’re for you.

Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed; Neither be disgraced, for you will not be put to shame. Isa 54:4

For the mountains shall depart And the hills be removed, But My kindness shall not depart from you, Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed," Says the LORD, who has mercy on you. Isa 54:10

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD. Isa 54:17

Oh, how great is Your goodness, Which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! You shall hide them in the secret place of Your presence From the plots of man; You shall keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Ps 31:19-20

You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Ps 32:7-8

I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed. Ps 34:4-5

You, who have shown me great and severe troubles, shall revive me again, and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, And comfort me on every side. Ps 71:20-21

A New Year's Confession…

I belong to God

I am God's child (John 1:12)
I am Christ's friend (John 15:15 )
I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17)
I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)
I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)
I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16).
I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)
I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3).
I have been justified (Romans 5:1)
I am God's co-worker (1 Cor. 3:9; 2Cor 6:1).
I am God's workmanship(Eph. 2:10)
I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14).
I have been adopted as God's child (Eph 1:5)
I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)
I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt.5:13-14)
I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)
I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8: 1-2)
I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)
I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)
I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5:17-21)
I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)
I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)
I cannot be separated from the love of God(Rom.8:35-39)
I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 C or.1:21-22)
I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)
I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)
I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)
I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)
I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil 1: 5)

Jesus' Name @ Christmas

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6


For the first part of 2007 I preached on the names of God: Elohim, Adonai, and Yahweh to name just a few. In bible times names revealed the character of an individual. The same is true with God. His names revealed His character along with His relationship with His people.

The same is true of the names of Jesus. Jesus means “the Lord who saves.” Along with the name Jesus the Son of God was given names by the prophets of old that reveals His character and what should be our relationship to Him. He is called…

Wonderful Counselor. Jesus loves us. He understands us. There is nothing impossible for Him. He can be there and provide help for every decision and situation in life.

Mighty God. Jesus is a powerful help in every temptation and struggle in life. Jesus will give you the victory!

Everlasting Father. Jesus is our forever provider. He will never leave you, never forsake you, and always take care of you.

Prince of Peace. Jesus brings the peace and wholeness to our broken lives.

Jesus is these names and so much more. This Christmas season take a moment to evaluate your relationship with God. Is Jesus your Wonderful Counselor? Your Mighty God? Your Everlasting Father? Your Prince of Peace? He wants to be. He can be. Take time this Christmas to invite Jesus to come into your life and be all He desires to be!

Advent

As we begin the Christmas Advent season the following are some helpful hints from Jerry Lankford at Biblical Wellness Ministries to help you survive the busiest time of the year…

• Remember what all the fuss is about. This is the time to give thanks for all that God has done and to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Let's keep that in focus. It's not about cooking the perfect dinner, throwing the perfect party or buying the perfect gift.
  
• Don't overdo it. Plan your activities and then stick to the plan. Don't allow yourself to get caught up in all the hustle and bustle unless you enjoy it and it charges your batteries.
  
• Plan time to rest and reflect. Take some time with a journal to write about your feelings and thoughts. Read a good book. Be alone with God.
  
• Remember and honor those that you miss. One of the toughest things about these special times is being reminded of who isn't with us. Loss is always painful, but it can be worse when we try to ignore it and don't acknowledge it. Instead, take some time to remember those who will be missing. Spend some time looking through the picture album and reminiscing about them. Then remember that they are with you in spirit and that they would want you to be happy and blessed.
  
• Build your own traditions. The things we learn from our families are wonderful, but remember to build your own traditions. Make them your own and enjoy them. Don't feel like you have to do it a particular way because grandma did it that way. Remember the story about the lady that always cut the end off her pot roast because her mother did it that way? It turns out that her mother's pan was too small and she had to cut off the end.
  
• The greatest gift is time spent with our loved ones. Make sure you get plenty of time with family and worry less about all the extra stuff. After all, it's just stuff. Love is the real thing.

Thanksgiving

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

I love thanksgiving! It is one of my favorite holidays. I don’t know if it’s the time with family, or the food, or the positive mindset of thanksgiving. It is probably the combination of these that make it such a special day.

In my reflections this Thanksgiving I thought about how thankful I am for our church. I love what God is doing at Christian Life! We gather together and God shows up. It’s awesome!

I am profoundly thankful for a church family. What a wonderful group of people that share the good and the difficult parts of life together. People that gather to travel together on their spiritual journey. You guys are the best!

I want to encourage you this week and let you know God loves you and so do I. You are important to God and to our church family. If you ever get discouraged remember the adage “God don’t make no junk.” He created you just the way you are, for this moment in history, to do and be who he called you to be. Take time to thank God for making you you. Meditate on these passages:

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made ... All the days ordained for me were written in your book. (Psalm 139:14, 16)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19)

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:33-34)

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm 118:29)

If anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things. (Philippians 4:8)

What do you think?

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9

I’m having trouble with something so I thought I would use this week’s blog to ask you what you think.

In our Draw Near To God series we spent a couple of week’s worth of sermons on the subject of pornography. I feel that we talked fairly openly about the subject and how it affects up to 49% of Christian families. I can’t tell you how many people came up to me or emailed me to thank me for taking the time to talk about such a sensitive subject. Trust me, it wasn’t easy and I always enjoy positive feedback.

But here is what is troubling me. A lot of people were happy we tackled the subject but very few responded for help. I have to admit I wasn’t expecting a lot of thank you's, I was expecting a lot of people looking for help. Maybe people in our church don’t struggle with pornography? Maybe we defy the odds? Or maybe we aren’t being completely honest.

I know this is a sensitive and private subject. The devil would love to keep it that way. Maybe you are trying to deal with this on your own? But as we learned in our video, this is something you can’t overcome on your own. You need the power of God and the accountability of a friend or small group.

We are looking to begin some anonymous support groups at the beginning of the New Year to help those that struggle with and those who are victims of pornography. But will anybody come? I hope they do.

I want to hear what you think concerning this matter. What do you have to say? Please free to post your comments

Home With The Lord

Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8


This past week our church family lost a dear brother, Jeff Taylor. Our heart and prayers are with Debbie, his wife of 25 years, along with Jeff’s mom and dad and the entire family. Jeff’s life and passing is a reminder that this is not all there is, that this is not our forever home, and someday we will step into eternity for an appointment with God.

Even through his illness, Jeff had a passion for the Lord and His work. You could sense his heart to know God. You could sense his desire to serve God with his life. Now Jeff is healthy, whole, and strong in the presence of God. It is safe to say that Jeff’s desires are satisfied as he experiences God face to face.

As we talked about last week the spiritual things in life are the most important because they last for eternity. In the busyness of life we can forget or ignore the spiritual. Someday each of us will stand before God to give an account. Will you be one who chooses to draw near to God in this life so that you can enjoy Him forever?

We were created for a relationship with God. We were created for an eternity with Him. God “has planted eternity in the human heart.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NLT) Nothing this temporary life can offer will satisfy. Are you drawing near to God? Remember you get for eternity what you desire in this life.

While we grieve the loss of our friend Jeff we don’t grieve without hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13) like the world because we know someday we will be worshipping with him again, this time around the Throne!

Time With God

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.
James 4:8

I have enjoyed our fall small group study at Christian Life, Drawing Near by John Bevere. I appreciate the many who are taking the spiritual journey together to draw near to God. I know that God honors your heart cry for Him and will in turn reveal Himself in even greater ways to you and to our church family.

One of the main components of drawing near to God is our time with Him. As with any relationship, our time with God is valuable. Spending time with God allows us to grow close to Him. We can say that we desire to draw near to God but if we don’t spend time seeking Him our desire will never become a reality.

In our jam-packed lives how do we find time for God on a daily basis? The key is consistency.

1. Have a consistent time every day that you meet with God.
   
2. Have a consistent place where you spend that time.
   
3. Have a consistent routine for your time together.

In the weekend services to come I will be talking about how to spend quality time with God. In this blog let me share with you something that helps me on those days I miss my consistent time, place, and routine. In the busyness of the calling of being a pastor and the sometimes overwhelming schedule of a young family there are days that it is difficult to find time to spend with God. So, on my palm pilot each day at the end of the day I have scheduled the phrase, “It’s not too late.” This simple phrase reminds me that it’s not too late to pray, or maybe to read a verse, or even to journal a thought before bed.

It’s never too late in the day to spend time with God. Even if you only have strength for a short prayer at the end of the day God is happy to hear from you. Remember God always loves you and enjoys His time with you!

Thank You

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 15:58


THANK YOU


In the development of the West Campus of Christian Life Church we are discovering the church’s key needs as we plan for the future. Obviously, for our church the aspects of worship and teaching are a priority. We are a worshipping and teaching church. These things are a part of all of our services because they are part of who we are as a church. But right behind having worship and teaching in place we are noticing the next most important aspect of the church is a strong children’s ministry.

Children’s ministry has always been an emphasis at Christian Life. We believe we are stewards of the children God gives us and that we are to connect our kids to Christ. From nursery through high school, and even into college, we strive to provide quality ministry that meets the needs of each stage of development.

A successful children’s ministry only happens with the commitment and care of many adult volunteers. From our countless nursery workers, to Sunday School teachers, to Kid’s Club workers, to the leaders in our youth ministry, we have a solid team of volunteers investing in the lives of our children.

Today we salute the volunteers that make our children’s ministry great. For the hours of preparation, for the many missed services, through the joy and the pain… we honor you! Thank you for your faithfulness. You and your gifitings are appreciated! Always remember, “that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

the first second sunday

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:18-20

the first
second sunday
report

You are not going to believe what happened… The hotel we were booked at double booked their meeting space. Actually, the people who were in the meeting room before us refused to leave. Things at first were a little tense. The scrapbook convention wouldn’t budge so the hotel allowed us to set up in the main lobby area. Can you believe it, having church in a hotel lobby with guests coming and going throughout the service?

Well, this hiccup did not stop the West Campus pioneers. The worship sounded great. I preached the same message on purity and pornography as the people came and went. So I guess you could say our first crowd was a lot larger than we expected. ;-) It was fun to see the hotel guests take a seat in the lobby and pretend like they weren’t listening but you could tell they were. To see the cleaning people come by and stop for a while. To see the front desk person put down his work and bow his head each time we would pray. It was a very public beginning for our first West Campus weekend!

What I learned from the weekend is that God is in control, He always makes a way, and no matter the circumstance He is always with us. The West Campus has been birthed! You can keep up with everything happening out there by visiting http://www.clcwest.org/.

second sunday 4

For a dream comes with much business and painful effort.
Ecclesiastes 5:3


second sunday
is here!

www.clcwest.org

October 14, 2007
11:30AM

Comfort Suites

2480 Bushwood Drive

Elgin, IL 60124

There is a principle found from church growth studies that affirms the fastest way to grow a church is to plant a new one. I have no doubt that God desires to see his kingdom built with the birth of new churches throughout the USA and around the world. As with many of our members out west, it is our desire to see a Christian Life campus in the western corridor of Chicagoland. We will continue to be one church, just now in two locations.

This birth isn’t without effort however. Many people have been waiting and working behind the scenes to help make this launch happen. I salute those who have the pioneer spirit and are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to ensure success. I appreciate our staff that in many cases will be pulling double duty as we open our new campus. And by far the most important investment we can make, and so many are making, is one of prayer. My desire is to see God’s things done God’s way. When we are obedient to the heavenly vision God blesses and grows His church.

This is the weekend it all begins. It’s been a couple of years of ups and downs and sideways but the time has come. Be in an attitude of dedication and prayer for this historic weekend at Christian Life Church.

second sunday 3

second sunday
www.clcwest.org

October 14, 2007
11:30AM
Comfort Suites

2480 Bushwood Drive

Elgin, IL 60124

Why did we decide to meet in a hotel? For the past two years the west campus team has been looking for a location to meet for services on the weekends. Our focus has been to find a place to purchase rather than rent. We wanted to find a place that was affordable while at the same time we would be able to build equity for future expansion. Of all the properties we looked at nothing was working out. When I prayed about why we were having such a difficult time finding a location I really felt the Lord say to me that we were not looking at places that were large enough for what God wanted to do out west. Since we were looking for what we could afford most of the places were quite small and since we do not have the money to buy something substantial we will begin by renting inexpensive meeting rooms at hotels until our numbers grow.
Second Sunday is a week away. Keep our west campus launch in prayer. This is a historic moment for our church. We are about to give birth to something big!

second sunday 2

Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it…
Psalm 127:1

second sunday
is coming!

www.clcwest.org

Second Sunday refers to the new upcoming weekend services of our west campus church plant. We will begin with one weekend service a month and those services will be on the second Sunday of each month. The weekend schedule at our Mount Prospect campus will remain the same with a later service happening out west.

Why just one service a month? Much time and study have gone into our plant and we have found that many start-up churches begin this way. There are a couple of reasons it will work well for us. First, with a new plant there will always be a learning curve. There are so many dynamics that make up a church from the up front ministry to everything behind the scenes. There will no doubt be corrections and changes needed after we begin. By only meeting once a month to start we will have an entire month rather than just a week to make any necessary adjustments.

The other reason to start with once a month services is to allow our west campus individuals and families a chance to worship in both places as they transition out of our Mount Prospect ministries. Rather than leaving abruptly after years of relationship, they can slowly move from one location to the next. It provides a time of closure. The relationships established in Mount Prospect will never die, it’s just that we all won’t see each other every week like we’re used to doing.

Remember, we are one church, with one vision, soon to be in two locations. God is birthing something great through Christian Life. Make sure during this season of planting you keep the life of our church a priority in your prayer life.

second sunday 1

For the vision is yet for an appointed time…though it tarry, wait for it.
Habakkuk 2:3


second sunday
is coming!

www.clcwest.org


Over two years ago I shared with our church on a vision night about a new direction that God was calling our body. Through prayer, study, and wise council I believe God is calling our church family to plant a second campus of Christian Life Church. We would be one church, with one vision, in two locations.

The campus we are planting is in the far western suburbs. God has moved some of our church people out west from South Elgin up to Crystal Lake. Most of these families still make the long drive every week to our Mount Prospect campus. What we have at Christian Life is very special and there is a tremendous need for vibrant Spirit-filled churches in one of the fastest growing areas in our nation.

For the past two years, I have been meeting midweek with a small group of people. Along with Bible study we have been praying and planning for the future. Our elders and pastors council have been discussing the future of this new campus plant. The time is right (I’ll share more about that later) and God is calling us to begin weekend services this fall.

We will begin with one weekend service a month. The second Sunday of each month we will conduct our first services out west. The weekend schedule at the Mount Prospect will remain the same. The west services will be later in the day. Even though most people reading this will never attend the west campus, please pray that many people, in this growing community, will connect to God through CLC West. Read the Bible Blog the next several weeks and listen during the weekend services as we unfold the vision of the west campus.

Our World

Gary Wilkerson of World Challenge confronts the church with the following statistics…

Worldwide

• 6,571,497,332 people now live on earth
• 1,200,000,000 people live on 23 cents a day
• 2,000,000,000 people have no electricity
• 80% of all people live in substandard housing
• 1,000,000,000 people are without safe drinking water
• Every 16 seconds someone dies of hunger
• 57,000,000 people died in 2006
• 10,500,000 of these were children less than five years old
• 14,000,000 children were orphaned because of HIV/AIDS
• 2,000,000 children have died as a direct result of armed conflict during the last ten years.

Meanwhile

• $8,000,000,000.00 were spent on cosmetics in America in 2005
• $11,000,000,000.00 for ice cream in Europe
• $17,000,000,000.00 in the USA and Europe on pet food
• $105,000,000,000.00 for alcohol in Europe

These statistics are not meant to make you feel guilty; I want them to raise your awareness. We can make a difference in the world. Every third weekend is Missions Weekend at Christian Life. From the very beginning of our existence as a church, we have invested in building God’s Kingdom around the world. We refuse to turn a blind eye to the suffering and the lost around the world. We will continue, to the best of our ability, to share with likeminded ministries to see God’s will be done here on earth as it is in heaven. You and your gifts are helping to change the world!

Let’s keep up the good work. Pray about your gift today. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40)

Golf

As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.
Psalm 42:1, 2a

This weekend is our annual golf outing at Christian Life Church. This is one of the weekends I look forward to all year. It’s really not about the golf, I just love hanging out and having fun with members of our church family.

You might say, “Well, what about the golf?” I have to admit I am pretty competitive and I like to win at whatever I play but to be honest I don’t love golf. I used to love golf. I was, as they say, bit by the "golf bug." I would play any chance I could. If it wasn’t for the lack of time and money I would have golfed every day if I could. For a while there I would have to admit golf was an obsession for me. Now, I can count on one hand how many times I play in a year.

What changed? I don’t know. The craving is just gone. Maybe I got it out of my system. Maybe I reached a plateau in my play. I really don’t know what happened. All I do know is that I don’t enjoy it like I used to. What once was a passion for me is now just recreation.

Over time this same phenomenon can happen in our Christian life. What once was a passion becomes recreation. At one time we could not get enough of God, His Word, His church. But something happens. You can’t explain it. The passion that once burned bright is just gone.

Our walk with God is not a hobby, it is a relationship. Like in all relationships it’s not about the level of passion, it’s about the level of commitment. Passion can get any relationship started; it’s commitment that gives a relationship longevity. Don’t let your relationship with God stagnate, rekindle the passion.

What is your passion level with God right now? A better question is what is your commitment level? Remember our verse for this fall at Christian Life is James 4:8, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”